Telephone attachment.



c. E. BOOKERQ TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1915.

Patented May 9, 1916 Suva H5015 a2, W a

STATES FAWN? @FFKQE.

CLARENCE E. BOOKER, OF SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO ALBERT C. VOLPER, 0F SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA.

TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. BOOKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Suffolk, in the county of Nansemond and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telephone Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in telephone attachments and has particular application to a device whereby the receiver hook may be held in elevated position while the receiver is thereon.

Heretofore, when a person answers the telephone and the party wanted at the telephone is not in the immediate vicinity thereof, the party answering the telephone usually places the receiver on the desk or table supporting the telephone, in the event of it being a desk instrument, or permits the receiver to dangle from the end of the receiver cord, in the event of the instrument being of the wall type, while searching for the party wanted, thereby subjecting the receiver to accidental displacement from the desk in the first instance, and subjecting the cord to unnecessary strain and probable breakage in the second case.

Therefore, in carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a device whereby the receiver hook with the receiver thereon may be held in elevated or circuit closing position while the party who answers the telephone is endeavoring to locate the person wanted, thereby eliminating the mutilation of the receiver where a desk telephone set is employed, and the breaking of the cord and possibly the receiver where a telephone set of the wall variety is in use.

It is also my purpose to provide a device of the class described which may be readily and quickly applied to any type of telephone instrument, which will embody comparatively few parts and these so correlated and arranged as to reduce the possibility of derangement to a minimum, which will operate efficiently and effectively for its intended purpose, and which may be readily and quickly put into service, and which may be manufactured and marketed at a minimum expense.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts here inafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a telephone set of the wall type equipped with a device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, the receiver hook being shown in section and in lowered position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the receiver hook in section and supported by my device when the receiver is thereon. Fig. 4c is a like view showing the parts in the positions they occupy when the receiver is off of the hook, my device being shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a desk telephone set showing my device applied thereto. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of the desk telephone set equipped with my device.

In the present instance, my device comprises a tube 1 circular in cross section and having one end open and the other end closed and having the closed end formed with an axial opening, and a stem 2 slidably mounted within the tube 1 and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in the closed end of the tube and adapted to work therein and the opposite end equipped with an operating head 3 of a diameter equal to the similar dimension ofthe tube 1 and capable of sliding movement into and out of the tube through the open end thereof. I

Threaded into the end of the stem 2 projecting through the opening in the end wall of the tube is the shank of a headed pin 4, the head of the pin being disposed at the outer side of the end wall of the tube. Surrounding the stem 2 within the tube 1 is a coiled expansion spring 5 having one end bearing against the closed end wall of the tube and the opposite extremity in engagement with the inner end of the operating head 3. This spring acts to hold the operating head normally projected from the casing and the head of the pin 4 normally in engagement with the closed end of the easing, while the headed pin serves to limit the movement of the stem 2 and head 3 under the action of the spring.

In one form of my invention, the tube 1 is formed integral with an ear 6 formed on one edge of a fastening plate 7 and arranged at right angles to such plate. The remaining edge of the plate 7 is formed with outwardly projecting forked legs 8, 8 arranged adjacent to the respective ends thereof and these forked legs are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the screws of the plate surrounding the receiver hook opening in the box of a wall telephone set. When applying my device to a wall telephone set, the screws that secure the plate to the box of the telephone set around the receiver hook opening are loosened and the forked legs 8 inserted beneath such plate around the respective screws and the screws tightened to hold the fastening plate 7 in proper position. The fastening plate 7 and the ear 6 constitute a means for fastening my device to a wall telephone set. It is conceivable, however, that other means may be employed for securing my device in place on the box.

When applying the device-to a desk telephone set, I employ, in the present instance, a clamping band 9 comprising a semicircular section 10 having one end formed with an outwardly extending lug l1, and a semicircular section 12 having one end hinged to the remaining end of the section 10 as at 13 and the other end formed with an outwardly extending lug 14 formed with a threaded opening alining with an opening in the lug 11 to receive a clamping screw 15 whereby the sections 10 and 12 may be clamped about the standard of the telephone instrument immediately below the receiver hook slot therein, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing. The lug 11 is formed with an upward extension 16 that carries the tube 1 of my device. Although I have shown and described this particular form of securing means for holding my device to the desk telephone set, I wish it to be understood that any other appropriate fastening means may be employed and is contemplated by me.

In practice, my device is secured to the telephone instrument and the head of the pin on the end of the stem 2 normally lies to one side of the path of movement of the receiver hook, as clearly illustrated in the drawing, and when the receiver is removed from the hook the latter swings upwardly to close the talking circuit. Should the party answering the telephone wish to replace the receiver on the hook and at the same time hold the talking circuit closed, the head 3 is pushed into the tube 1 against the action of the spring 5, thereby projecting the pin end of the stem 2 out of the tube 1 and across the path of movement of the receiver hook. The receiver is now placed upon the hook and the weight of the receiver on the hook holds the latter in engagement with the projecting end of the stem 2, while the head 4 prevents movement of the stem to normal position under the action of the spring 5, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The line is now open and when the receiver is again removed from the hook the latter releases the stem 2 and disengages the head 4 and the spring reacts to restore the parts to normal position, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, so that when the receiveris again placed upon the hook the latter will be actuated to close the line.

lVhile I have herein shown and described the preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction, herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a telephone set, of a device carried thereby and operable to enter the path of movement of the receiver hook to hold the latter elevated with the receiver thereon, and means operable automatically for restoring said device to normal position succeeding the removal of the receiver from the hook.

2. The combination with a telephone set, of a device carried thereby and operable to enter the path of movement of the receiver hook to hold the latter elevated with the receiver thereon, and a spring associated with said device and operable automatically to restore said device to normal position succeeding the removal of the receiver from the hook.

3. The combination with a telephone set, of a device carried thereby and operable to enter the path of movement of the receiver hook to hold the latter elevated with the receiver thereon, a spring associated with said device and operable automatically to restore said device to normal position succeeding the removal of the receiver from the hook, and a detachable connection between said device and the telephone set.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE E. BOOKER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. HILTNER, H. R. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

